3 finalists vie to be new Socorro police chief

El Paso Times
Daniel Borunda, El Paso Times
October 30, 2023

A new police chief for Socorro is expected to be selected from three finalists next week at the Socorro City Council's regular meeting, a city spokesperson said.

The meeting will be at 6 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 2, at Socorro City Council Chambers, 860 N. Rio Vista Road. The new chief will replace former Chief David Burton in leading a department serving a rapidly-developing community of more than 36,000 residents located southeast of El Paso. Burton returned to his native New England, where he is now police chief in Groton, Connecticut.

The three finalists are:

James Perdue

He is a longtime member of the Socorro Police Department, where he has been a reserve officer for 16 years. Perdue is an associate professor and senior instructor at the U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy in Fort Bliss.

James Perdue
Courtesy of City of Socorro, Texas

The El Paso native served over 25 years in the U.S. military and is a combat veteran and Silver Star recipient. He also worked proving dignitary protection for the U.S. State Department in Iraq.

Omar Chávez

He ran for Doña Ana County sheriff last year. Chavez was born in California and grew up in Chihuahua until 16. He moved to Anthony, New Mexico, before graduating from Santa Teresa High School.

Omar Chávez
Courtesy of City of Socorro, Texas

Chávez began his law enforcement career in the mid-1990s in the Anthony (Texas) Police Department before joining the El Paso County Sheriff's Office, where he was a sergeant, a detective and a SWAT team member. In 2017, he worked as a government contractor in an emergency response team for the U.S. Embassy, providing protection for dignitaries in Kabul, Afghanistan. He currently works as a contractor for a Mexico program as an instructor, helping train different police agencies.

Robert C. Rojas

He is a commander with the El Paso County Sheriff's Office, where he oversees the criminal investigations bureau.

Robert C. Rojas
Courtesy of City of Socorro, Texas

The El Paso native has been with the Sheriff's Office for 23 years, joining at 20 and rising from detention officer to deputy and the supervisory ranks to commander. Rojas is from El Paso and graduated from Montwood High, but he has family ties to Socorro, where he grew up visiting his grandfather in the Rio Vista area.

The finalists introduced themselves and took questions for 90 minutes at a community forum on Wednesday, Oct. 25, in Socorro City Council Chambers. Video of the forum is available on Socorro's YouTube page.